The SABS Technical Committee (TC 267) for facilities management has decided to retain SANS 1752:2017, Strategic Facilities Management System- Requirements with guidelines as the South African national standard, notwithstanding the recent publication of ISO 41001:2018, Facility management — Management Systems — Requirements with guidance for use. While similar in the sense that both standards address the facility management system, the standards also contain some important differences. Other considerations that influenced the committee’s decision were the fact that SANS 1752 was already known in the local market and had already been specified for compliance in a DPW tender, and that it would be easier to implement while keeping the cost of compliance affordable. It was decided that the SANS standard would be better suited to most local industry players, both providers and demand organisations, and that it had greater potential for promoting growth in the local industry. While it is acknowledged that some local practitioners may be compelled to implement ISO 41001 due to cross-border operations or due to being part of a global organisation, the technical committee had to consider what was ultimately best for industry at large. It is anticipated that, with the experience of implementation, these SANS and ISO standards may well converge to the extent where the adoption of a single standard may be likely over time.
Contact SAFMA, info@safma.co.za
